REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, YOGYAKARTA - Five regional leaders of Muhammadiyah in Indonesia will actively handle the Rohingya refugees entering five regions in Indonesia in the last one month. The five regions are North Sumatera, South Sulawesi, Riau, Nusa Tenggara Timur, and Riau Archipelago.
"We asked the regional leaders to help the refugees. And we are not talking about religion, but humanity," the Chief of Muhammadiyah Central Board Haedar Nashir said on Friday.
Muhammadiyah, he said, had disaster management and health institutes. These institutes will hand in hand with Aisyiyah –the women wing of Muhammadiyah- to help Rohingya people in Indonesia.
Muhammadiyah will also cooperate with local government in providing refugee’s shelter. Humanitarian aids will be provided including food, medicine, and other accommodations.
"UNHCR has not issued a statement that Rohingyas are refugees, this act is based on humanitarian reasons. They are the victim of conflict. We will find temporary solution," Nashir said. Muhammadiyah also asked the government officially to conduct diplomatic relationship with Myanmar government and UNHCR.